Raw material sources are archaeologically complex features because, as foci for ancient procurement, there are frequently a large number of overlapping palimpsest occupations. A siteless survey approach is theoretically compelling (Binford 1992;Dunnell 1992;Dunnell and Dancey 1983;Ebert 1992;Foley 1981;Thomas 1975), however in practice most projects must balance detailed mapping against expediency and recording speed, as will be described below. The theoretical aims of this research were to detect and record meaningful variability in prehispanic artifacts and features throughout the study area, but also to focus on concentrations of lithic reduction activity and the variable material types that were evident in lithic scatters. The Upper Colca survey was not a "siteless survey" if that technique is taken to mean that the position of every artifact is recorded individually. Rather, it involved recording concentrations of non-diagnostic artifacts as loci in a mobile GIS system using a GPS polygon to delimit the loci (Tripcevich 2004;Tripcevich 2004). The result is a regional survey approach that is approximately as fast as traditional survey recording methods, but with much finer resolution and with greater detail on data that are more relevant to the theoretical goals of the research as determined by the field researchers.